Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-06-09

retains three numbers, only one is
missing. but you yourself must take it
to the Bank of France and explain the
circumstances"
''Where is, then, the Bank of
France?" inquired. You know l
thought it might be at Orleans. or
somewhere nearer the center of the
country. Or it might be kept. for rea-
sons Of state, in St Petersburg. The
good people assured me it was in
Paris. and quite easy to find. only they
didn't know where.
Then / said: Il am afraid they will
make me say something do not know
how to say in French" Whereat they
abounded in compliments upon my
progress in their tongue.
l climbed one stair, consulted Bae-
deker and the Plan, and went forth
with my torn note.
The Bank of France is tucked away
in the midst of a network of crooked
little streets like those at the north
end of Boston. After wiggling in
them for some time found myself in
the Place DIES Victories, which is
circular, with an equestrian statue of
Louis XIV. in Roman costume with a
wig. The horse is prancing on his
tail and hind legs, which support the
whole Louis is riding directly into
the bank. This is an imposing build
ing, the ancient Hotel de Ia Briltiere.
Guards marched to and fro before the
iron gate of entrance: they let me go
in with the resigned Indifference with
which Frenchmen now regard any con-
duet of the emancipated American
women. The concierge, however, po-
litely inquired what in the world
tempted me to think of crossing the
great courtyard. l had neat little
French sentence carefully parsed and
corrected in my mind, all ready for
him.
Sir" said l, cit is the affair of a
bank note torn"
"Ah," said he, 1.-THE affair of bank
note! Then you must not come in
here, but 60 round to the other en-
trance on Cross-of-the little Fields
street"
This relieved me a great deal. for 1
thought if there was an entrance
wholly dedicated to torn bank notes
my case could not be SO very alarm
ingly exceptional He added: you
must ask for the bureau de la compta-
bilite des billets-''
Trying to keep this long term in my
head, went round to the other en-
trance, and found myself in large
court. Swinging glass doors led to a
huge hall with broad marble stairs
leading up to endless offices and de-
partments. Inquiring my way of
many obliging gentlemen in dark
green liveries, reached coy little
room like lawyers Office. Here a
friendly man at a desk heard my tale,
looking at the note, and repeated the
cheering statement: The note is
good" This gave me courage to say
that l supposed it was not the only in
stance of the kind.
Regard. madame" said he, and
showed me. laid out carefully. each on
a piece of white paper. a little pile of
bank notes, burnt to the crisp. not a
trace of any lettering or number left
on them.
'You can not identify these" Isaid.
I'VE seek to-" he replied. with shrug.
These are but specimens of some thou
sands of francs lately destroyed by fire
at Bordeaux.
He then asked if were married, and
on my confessing myself mademoiselle
he began to write on blank my name.
station and address. He asked the
circumstances as doctor asks the
symptoms. As told them he wrote
them down on the blank. and then
read me what he had written. Case
of note torn through inadvertence:
placed in small sack. the other con-
tents made a hole in the bill; impossi-
bic to preserve the fragments.
This signed. and of course, gave
to him the billet de banque.
Now. mademoiselle. he said. "you
will have your note. However. some
delay is necessary. This is now the
Friday. On the Monday. or perhaps
later. since Sunday interveneS. You will
receive at your address letter from
the Bank of France. With that letter
you will return here. and you will re-
ceive your note. Bon jour, mademoi-
selle." bon jour. monsieur" and
"bon Jour- all the way down stairs and
out of the building to and from every
body met.
Days rolled on and received no let
ter. l thought perhaps paternal
French Government had need of my
twenty dollars. But one day when 1
went into the conciergerie to pet the
cats, Marie handed me great envel-
ope. stamped Banque de Ia France
Comptabilite DIES Billets. addressed
"Mademoiselle Hale Suzan. Rantiere, Is
Pho 4, Alrar Paris :. II was all prinfa6